Together (A Harry Potter love story) 3

53

MILLIES POV

"I just can't believe it, Millie!"

"Yeah."

"After all that work - I bet it wasn't even a fair appeal!"

"I know."

"I just hope Hagrid's okay."

"Yeah."

Mione swivelled her body round on the bench so that she was fully facing me, a confused look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"What?" I said, shaking my head and pulling a plate of potatoes towards me. "Nothing, I'm fine-"

"You never give me one word answers," she pressed slowly, leaning her face in front of mine. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Mione!" I whined, pushing her away. She continued staring at me while I put some steak and kidney pudding onto my plate, sending her sideways glances. I finally broke, rolling my eyes, before blurting, "I really regret breaking up with Harry, Mione! I miss being with him so much, and every day it gets harder to control myself around him because all he does is flirt with me but then as soon as we get close to a kiss or something he stops. I'm so confused!"

"Well," Mione said quietly, after a short pause, "I think you did the right thing. Harry deserved to be broken up with that night, and if you hadn't done it then, who knows what might've happened? I reckon this whole thing will just bring you closer together. And I'm not being funny, Millie, but Harry's probably scared of being rejected or hurting you again, that's why. He definitely likes you, though, I can tell. Merlin, everyone can tell except you and Harry!"

I laughed wearily, my eyes automatically glancing down the table to where Harry was sat with his boys - or was sat. I straightened up, squinting in case I was just being blind; but both Harry and Ron were missing. I had just opened my mouth to point this out to Mione, when I felt two people appear behind me, and knew instantly who they were.

"Girls," Harry whispered, tapping both of us on the shoulder. "I've got the cloak hidden down the front of my robes, let's go."

"Mmm right," I muttered, hastily grabbing a small cake and stuffing it into my mouth.

"I'd hurry up if I were you," whispered Ron, in a sing-song voice. "Harry's had to keep his arms folded on his lap the whole time to cover it, people might think he's got a bon-"

"Okay, let's go," Mione quickly interrupted, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the Hall.

"In here," Ron hissed, guiding us into an empty chamber off the Entrance Hall. "Hermione, make sure it's empty."

Mione poked her head around the door, then whispered, "It's okay, no-ones there. Put the Cloak on..."

Walking very close together so that nobody would see us, we crossed the Hall on tiptoe beneath the Cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gliding the top branches of the trees.

We reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.

"It's us," Harry hissed, gently wrapping his hand around the back of my school shirt and pulling me backwards. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"I told Austin to tell yeh not ter come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and we stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled the Cloak off us.

Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon our necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.